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T O P I C R E V I E W
Ari
Posted - 02 Sep 2014 : 7:41:09 PM Watching the WEG endurance was a first for me and thanks Linda for the link to the write up. There must be other Aliners like me that know very little about the sport but would love to learn and take an informed interest in future events. Like all sports there appears to be "issues" at elite level and that's probably not for this forum but I would love to learn what makes a good endurance horse, how it's trained, cared for and fed etc. And how do you riders get fit enough. Are there particular bloodlines that do better and what breeds other than Arabs do well.
13 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)
kofihorse
Posted - 09 Sep 2014 : 12:39:47 PM Isn't Mycally Golden Sunshine Anne Aldridge's horse? Seen competing this summer in Scotland.
Esther
Posted - 06 Sep 2014 : 1:22:46 PM My friend's Ds were Okeden bred.
We're at s yorks tomorrow, manning cp 3 and/or 4 I believe. See you there
Ari
Posted - 05 Sep 2014 : 8:49:41 PM Esther thanks for pointing me to nearest group, I will have a look at the website.
Liz100
Posted - 04 Sep 2014 : 12:36:53 PM Esther - your friend wouldn't have owned one of my YO's home bred Welsh D's would she? I know one was amongst the highest mileage horses a few years ago. Mycathly Golden Sunshine I think.
Coincidentally we are coming to the South Yorkshire ride on Sunday to do the 33k NCR. Pat is riding her Welsh D x traditional. I'm actually going on holiday Sunday night so really should be packing/painting toenails etc, but couldn't miss the South Yorkshire ride
sab2
Posted - 04 Sep 2014 : 10:33:35 AM Esther yes your right as you go further north lots of natives but also hairy cobs doing it . I would love to get an Exmoor pony and try doing it , not sure if i would feel too big though, i know when i ride my sec B stallion i feel very under horsed .
Esther
Posted - 04 Sep 2014 : 06:14:23 AM Ari, you'll be with us in the West Riding group then. We're very friendly and don't bite.
Re breeds. The ideal endurance horse is a light to middle weight, athletic 14.2-15.2. Of which an Arab is one, but other breeds do well too. It's no accident that the further north you go, the more natives and native crosses you see. Horses for courses.... In our group we have the amazing Flurrie, who is an overheight connemara (1 x national novice champion and twice national supreme champion), and my friend's two now sadly departed Welsh cobs are still some of the highest lifetime mileage horses in the UK.
The lovely thing about the sport is that you can set your own goals and take what you want from it. Depending on your personal circumstances, getting round a pleasure ride in one piece can be as much of an achievement as riding 100 miles!3
Ari
Posted - 03 Sep 2014 : 10:24:55 PM I am at Baildon West Yorks between Leeds and Bradford, thank you for kind offer and I am sure there must be a local group to me that I can help with. It's a new adventure for me
seleste
Posted - 03 Sep 2014 : 9:36:33 PM Hi Ari, Not sure where you are based but I am one of the organisers of an endurance ride taking place near Melton Mowbray, east Leics, on 20th and 21st Sept. Would be delighted to talk you through the basics of you want to come along and watch or help.
Callisto
Posted - 03 Sep 2014 : 1:49:49 PM I do think that the change to measuring the distances from miles to kilometers does tend to put people off, as in this country we still use miles in every day life, and 32km does tend to sound a lot further than 20 miles...Firelight, if you are already hacking for miles then you really should give it a go, as I said before, it gives you the opportunity to ride in lovely places that you wouldn't normally go to
By the way, you don't need any special tack or clothing to try it out either, as long as you and your horse are comfortable, that's absolutely fine. There are some things that are not allowed (long schooling whips, heelless riding shoes unless with caged stirrups, no spurs,wellington boots absolutely banned (!), Horses can be ridden in any recognised form of bridle with or without a bit. Riding in a head collar, blinkers, draw-reins, Market Harborough or similar schooling aid is not permitted. Any suitable saddle may be used).
I would also say it is much cheaper sport to be involved in than some of the others, I nearly fell over with shock when I found out what having a novice horse involved in his first year of BE was costing my friend. There are various try before you buy schemes, and Associate Membership for those who wish to try it out.
FireLight
Posted - 03 Sep 2014 : 1:33:48 PM I am enjoying this thread and have broadened my knowledge a little more . I hack for miles but don't do endurance, maybe next year I will give it a go.
Liz100
Posted - 03 Sep 2014 : 06:43:23 AM I would say another reason Arabs are so popular is because they are comfy! I have friends who have done NCRs with me on native ponies and although their natives are excellent endurance machines (friends Welsh B beat my Arab by having a lower finishing heart rate on the one competitive ride we tried) their riders get off them considerably more tired than I am on my 'shock absorbing' horse!
Callisto
Posted - 02 Sep 2014 : 10:53:38 PM As Sab2 says, any healthy horse can do endurance to a certain level, Arabs are popular because they are tough, tend to have good legs and feet, and because they are thin skinned can be cooled easily, but many other breeds have been successful. It's a great way to get to ride in places that you wouldn't normally travel to, and you can find more info here: http://www.scottishendurance.com/ and here: http://endurancegb.co.uk/main/Rides
Arab strains that are successful? Horses that have been bred for performance/conformation over flashy looks so Crabbet/Russian/Polish/Courthouse/French strains, but obviously it is the horse in front of you, not just the pedigree. Just as important as the conformation is the brain, some horses just don't want to do longer distances (and that goes for any breed), often it is the bloody minded ones that excel
As to fittening, this website gives you an idea, although obviously many people have different methods
As far as the rider goes, you need to be fit enough so that you don't hinder your horse, ride in a balanced position, and cope with varied terrain. It is a great way to spend hours with your horse and build a close relationship.
Edited to add: Feeding - you need slow release energy, so tends to be a lot of fibre such as alfalfa and sugarbeet, and obviously there are a large range of 'endurance' mixes, but at lower levels you don't need anything particularly special. Endurance has worked towards dispelling a number of old fashioned views like not letting a horse drink whilst its working hard (we offer them water at every opportunity), throwing water all over them when they are hot and sweaty is not bad (I notice that that they now cool racehorses with buckets of water after the finish - anathema in the old days), and on longer rides horses are offered feed after they have been through the vets at the vet holds (feed increases the heart rate, so you want them to get through the vet before you feed, but they need more fuel to keep going).
sab2
Posted - 02 Sep 2014 : 9:16:46 PM Ari any horse can compete egb , i suggest you go onto the egb website and find a group local to you , go along to a ride and see what goes on. Better still offer to help at a ride that way you can see the horses and get a feel for it, groups are always desperate for help and there are many varied jobs you can do from opening gates to vet writing . I had a lovely day at the Northern Champs this year sitting in my car at a checkpoint enjoying watching them pass by, would rather of been riding it but my mare wasn,t fit enough , you even get fed and watered for helping out
